Electric clock.



G. BLUMBERG 6L1. A. BUTKUS.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

GUSTAV BLUMBERG AND JOHN A. swims, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ELECTRIC GLoCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

Application filed October 13, 1915. Serial No. 55,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GUSTAV BLUMBERG and JOHN A. BUTKUs, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks; and We do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same. i 7

Ourinvention relates to electric clocks, such as are complete in themselves and require no connection with a central clock or an outside source of electricity. The object of "our invention is to produce an electric clock which shall be entirely devoid of springs in the time train and which shall be simple, cheap, reliable and in which the electrical mechanism can be quickly removed from the time mechanism for examination, renewal or repairs.-

In the drawings:

Figure 1, is a front view of the time train ofou-r improved clock showing the electrical mechanism attached;

Fig. 2, is a side view of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 2, some of the parts being omitted;

Fig. 3, is a .view of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 3, some of the parts being omitted;

Fig. 4, is a diagram of the connections of our improved clock; and

Fig. 5, is a detail view of certain parts.

The mechanism of our improved clock consists of two plates 10 and 11 which are formed with a circular rim and a five pointed star such as 12 formed integrally therewith. These plates are kept in proper relation to the back board of the case in any approved manner.'

The'case, means for supporting the bat-v teries and the connectors forthe batteries ferred to.

The plates 10 and 11 support an ordinary time train provided with hands such as 1414. The time train also has an ordinary pendulum wire such as 15 to which is attached a pendulum not shown.' All parts of the time train being old and well known will not be further illustrated or described.

A plate such as 16 is secured to the rear plate 10. The plate 16 extends toward the right and is provided with a downward extension 17 to which is secured the solenoid 18.

The solenoid 18 is formed with two insulating end pieces 19 provided with a central hole and joined together by an insulating tube not shown. The ends l919 are secured to the extension 17 by the screws 2020. The solenoid 18 is wound with a plurality of turns of wire of any suitable size andthe ends 21 are brought through the lower end piece 19 of the solenoid.

A condenser consisting of two plates 22 and 23, (see Fig. 4), is Wounddn cylindrical form as shown-at 24in Figs. 1 and 3 and provided with terminals 25 and 26 by which the condenser is secured to the ends 19-19 by the screws 27-27.

A core such as 28 preferably formed of soft iron or steel moves freely in the'tube joining the ends. 1919 of the solenoid.

The upper end of the core 28 is reduced in size and provided with a slot 29. A pin such as 30 fits tightly in holes provided in the upper slotted end of the core 28 and a link such as 31 is mounted on the'pin 30 in the slot 29. The upper end of the link 31 is provided with a slot 32 and with holes in which fits tightly thepin 33. I

A lever 34 has one end mounted on the pin 33 and works freely in the slot 32. The other end of the lever 34 is revolubly mounted on the pintle 35 of the clock train. A ratchet wheel 36 is rigidly mounted on the pintle 35 and a pawl 37 is pivotally mounted on the pin 38 which is secured to the lever 34. A spring 39 keeps the pawl 37 in contact with the teeth of the'ratchet wheel 36. A second pawl such as 40 pivotally mounted on the pintle 41 may have its point kept in contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 36 in any approved manner in order to prevent the ratchet wheel 36 from being turned 'backwardly. The pintle 35 is also provided 34 and t with other ar wheels, not shown, which form part 0 the time train.

A lever such as 42 is pivotally mounted on' the screw 43, and the latter is sup orted on the plate 16. The portion of the ever surrounding the screw 43 'is substantially circular in shape and is provided with a notch 44 for a purpose hereinafter explained. The lever 42 extends upwardly and toward the left, as shown in Fig. 1, and extends over the pin 45 secured in the lever 34. The lever 42 is provided with an arm 46 extending toward the left. A spring47, secured by the screw 48 to a flange 49 provided on the plate 16, bears against the circular ortion of the lever 42 for a purpose hereina ter explained. A plate 50 is secured tothe insulation 51'by screws such as 5252 and the" said insulation is secured to the plate 16 in any approved manner.

A spring 53 is secured by the rivets 54 to the plate 50 and the upper end of said spring is located to make contact with the arm 46 of the lever 42 when said arm 46 is moved downwardly as hereinafter explained.

clock are as follows: (see Fig. 4).

The battery 55 has one terminal connected to the plate 50 and the other terminal to one terminal of the solenoid 18. The other terminal of the solenoid 18 is connected to the plate 16 and through said plate to the arm 46 of the lever 42.

The plate 22 of the condenser is connected through the plate 16 to one terminal of the solenoid 18 and to the lever 42. The other plate 23 of the condenser is connected to the plate 50 and to one terminal of the battery.

The operation of our improved clock is as follows When the parts are in the positions shown in the figures, the weight of the core 28 will be acting through the link 31 on the lever I e latter acting through the pawl 37 will turn the ratchetwheel 36 in the directipn of the arrow 56in Fig. 1,.and thus move the 'time train. a

As the core 28 continues to move downwardl under the, force of gravity,'the lever 34 wil also continue to move downwardlyand the pin 45 will move from contact with the lever 42.. The lever'42 will not drop because the friction produced by the pressure of the spring 4 against the circular portion of said lever is suflicient to prevent said lever 42 fr'omdropping],

. The core 28 will continue. to" move downwardly until the pin 45 strikos thc'i i m 46 of said lever and moves same downwardl until the bent portion 57 ofthe spring 47 passes over end 44 of the circular portion of the lever 42.

The spring 47 then forces the arm 46 into contact with. the spring 53, a current of elecratchet wheel, a solenoi tricity then flows through the solencid 18,

' the core 28 is attracted upwardly to t e position shown in Fig. 1 and the pawl 37 c0- acting with the ratchet wheel 36 prevents the lum. As the core .28 moves upwar y, the. 1

pin 45 will then strike the lever 42 and move'" the arm 46 from contact with the s ring 53. This will terminate the flow of e ectrlcity through the solenoid 18. The same cycle of operations is repeated indefinitely.

When the lever 46 moves from contact with the spring'53 the extra current of self induction accumulates on the plates of the condenser and sparking between the lever 46 and spring 53 is thereby obviated.

We cla1m:

-71. The combination with a lever, of a solenoid core connected to said lever, a pin in said lever, a second lever having two arms mounted in the path of said pin, a adapted to make contact with one o sai arms, and a second spring adapted to hold said second lever ineither one of two posi- The electrical connections of our improved said first named lever is moved downwardly,

and a sprin acting upon said second lever to move it s i htly aftersaid lower. arm has been moved said in and to hold said second lever alter sai upper arm has been moved by said pin. 5

3. Thecombination with a lever, and a sole noid core normally'moved downwardly by the force of gravity, of a solenoid, a second lever, a pin carried by said first named lever and adapted to move said second lever in two directions, a source of electricity connected to said solenoid for moving said core upwardly, a circuit including said sourceand said solenoid and having one terminal connected to said second lever, a spring connected to the other terminal of saidcircuitand adapted to make and break contact with said second lever, and a second spring for holding said second lever at the limit of its movement in either direction.

4'. The combination of a time train including a pintle and a ratchet wheel mounted on said pintle, with a lever, a pawl mounted on said lever and ada ted to move said core connected to said lever and moved downwardly by the force of gravity, a solenoid and a source of connected to the other terminal of said cirelectricity connected to said solenoid for 'cuit and adapted to make and break contact 10 moving said core upwardly, a second lever, a with said second lever.

pin carried by said first named lever and In testimony whereof, we afiix our sigadapted to move said-second lever in two natures.

directions, a circuit including said source v and said solenoid and having one terminal GUSTAV BLUMBERG. connected to said second lever, and a spring JOHN A. BUTKUS. 

